10 Ways to Work Out Without Going to the Gym

Katie Rosenbrock

Thursday, July 24, 2014 - 12:58

Going to the gym can be fun, but not everyone sees it that way. And since you're here, reading about ways you can work out without going to a gym, well I'm going to take a wild guess and say that you don't see it that way.

You do not enjoy going to the gym. Maybe you force yourself to do it anyway because you know the importance of exercising. Maybe you dislike the gym so much that it's caused you to take a permanent vacation from working out. Or maybe you've never been there before, and on account of some horror stories you've heard, you don't ever plan on going.

All of which is fine, but it doesn't meen you can't exercise. Contrary to popular belief, workouts don't have to happen at a gym, or any space that could even remotely be considered gym-like.

We've been conditioned to think that working out is an unenjoyable activity, that it involves suffering. Too often we think of it like it's some kind of chore. If you associate the gym with the same negative connotations, well, no wonder you dislike it.

Steve Kamb, creator of NerdFitness.com[2] summed this idea up quite well when he wrote, "When you say ‘but I don’t like exercising,’ what you’re really saying is: ‘I don’t enjoy the particular type of exercise that I have in mind.’”

If you don't like going to the gym and it's holding you back from exercising, the simple solution to your problem is to find a different activity —one that you enjoy— that will get you up and moving around on a regular basis.

Aside from the traditional non-gym activities like running, biking and hiking, which maybe you've already thought of (and even tried only to find that they're not your style) there are lists and lists of ways you can get a darn good workout without ever stepping foot in a gym. This list of 10 alternative activities[3] will help spark your idea tank.

A few are more traditional but many are outside of the box and we think that if you give them a try you'll find it will hardly feel like you're exercising and most definitely feel like you're having fun.

Meetup Groups
Head over to MeetUp.com and type the word “fitness” into the search bar. You’ll be presented with an array of local activities that you can participate in with other gym-haters just like yourself. From free outdoor workouts and roller skating clubs to basketball teams and juggling lessons you’ll find a fun new way to “work out” faster than you can come up with an excuse not to exercise today.

TV & Movie Workout Games

Did someone speak Dothraki during Game of Thrones? That’ll be 20 bicycle crunches, please! The World Wide Web is filled with workouts that are meant to be done while watching your favorite TV shows and movies. So yes, you can binge watch House of Cards and get fit at the same time. This[4] blog’s sole purpose is for publishing TV workout games. And on Pinterest[5], forget it; scrolling through all the TV and movie workouts is a workout in itself. Also, Blood Sweat and Cheers has their own collection of games[6] too. So, if you already have a great relationship with your tube, well then you’re about to get in the best shape of your entire life.